Must-Have Aging-In-Place Features
No well-designed custom home is complete without some attention to the future. Aging-in-place home design features can be both beautiful and functional, ready to use as needed, to keep yourself or older relatives safe. Of course, even the young can benefit from these important home safety elements.
Consider how kids are notoriously blind to dangers, like concussion from slipping in the bathtub. Elegant yet sturdy grab bars are excellent if you, or a family member or guest, are healing from a sprained ankle, to help you get in and out of the tub painlessly. Here we’ll discuss some aging-in-place home design options you might want your custom home designer and builder to include.
The Beauty of Home Safety
High-end, functionally beautiful senior-friendly home features are possible–and we can create them for you. Consider adding these cleverly designed, prudent and stylish aging-in-place features to your custom home build:
- Open living areas and kitchens (great rooms) represent senior-friendly, as well as modern, home design.
- Ramped entryway to the home’s front door.
- Wider hallways and some lower counters, in the bath and/or custom kitchen prep areas, are helpful for wheelchair navigation. (They also work well for kids in the home).
- Master bedroom on the ground floor, so that no stairs are required in daily life. (This also keeps the master private, with kids or guest bedrooms upstairs.)
- Large, easy-to-maneuver-in bathroom on each floor.
- Laundry room on ground floor, or each floor.
- Smooth, yet impact-absorbent flooring. Attractive cork flooring or rubber tiles aren’t soft enough to create a trip-and-fall hazard (like an overly padded carpet might), but they are gentler on joints if a fall does take place.
- Low-maintenance, low-pile carpeting, like fashionable Berber, is another option.
- Shelving, wainscoting or chair rails, which protrude slightly from the wall with no sharp edges, can help individuals with balance problems. They must be purpose-build with enough thickness and strength to allow a secure grip and securely attached to the wall.
- Awning windows provide fresh air, natural light and are lovely home design elements. They’re also the easiest type to open/close.
- Indirect lighting, like wall sconces near the ceiling, can help reduce glare and shadow in any room, which could cause individuals with poor eyesight or depth perception problems to fall.
- Walk-in shower design with no threshold and integrated bench(es). Consider lower wall tiles that contrast with flooring to help users clearly see the difference between wall and floor to avoid disorientation and tripping. Multiple shower heads at different heights create a spa-like bathroom and work for people of any height, without requiring a high or awkward reach.
- There are many more options! We can design and build your home to comply with all accessibility standards.
Home Safety Details for a Forever Home
- Door levers can be more stylish than the typical doorknob. They also make heavy doors easy to open for those with low grip strength or arthritis.
- Heavy-duty towel bars can double as grab bars.
- Two-way switches are great for bedrooms. You can turn lights on as you enter and turn off from your bedside.
- Smart home features like remote controlled (via tablet or smart phone): door locks, lighting, appliances, thermostats and more, are great for seniors as well as younger generations. (You can control these items using screen icons or voice.)
- And many more! We can implement any or all of the excellent aging-in-place home design suggestions from the National Association of Home Builders, keeping consistent with your personal taste and the architectural style of your home.
Let Us Build Your Comfortable, Safe and Stylish Dream Home in WV
Designing your new custom home with unique age-in-place features is prudent for anyone who wants the ultimate custom home–that’s comfortable for everyone. Done with quality and style, these safety elements also add significant value to your home.
Achieve your dream home vision with expert guidance from an experienced design and build firm in WV. Based in Martinsburg, we’ve spent more than 15 years building and remodeling elegant custom homes all across Morgan, Berkeley and Jefferson counties. Contact Miller’s Residential Creations to discuss your new home project, today.